Machine and method for producing bows and pompons



" H. M. COOK Nov. 7, 1950 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPQNS Filed Dec. 9, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hare/d M Cook INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY H. M. COOK Nov. 7, 1950 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPONS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1949 ATTORNEY k w c M M O W H.

H. M. COOK Nov. 7, 1950 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPONS Filed D60. 9, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q flare/a M Cook INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1950 H. M. cooK MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPONS Filed Dec. 9, 1949 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 flare /d M C 00 A INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y H. M1 COOK Nov. 7, 1950 uAcniNB'ANn iuE'rHbb FOR PRODUCING Bows AND POMPONS 7 sheetsesheeti Filad Dec. 9, 1949 Hard/d M. Cook DINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY MACHINE AND METHO FOR PRODUCING'BOWS AND' POMPONS Filed Dec. 9, 1949 H. M. COOK Nov. 7 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Hero/d M Co 0k INVENTOR.

POMPOM L IM IT 6 W A TTOR NE Y Nov. 7, 1950 H. M. c oK 2,528,820

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPONS Filed 1:50. 9. 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 IHEI lllll'lllll 1m LI'E IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Harold/14. Cook Patented Nov. 7, 1950 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING BOWS AND POMPON S Harold M. Cook, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Tymatics, Inc., Dallas, Tex.

Application December 9, 1949, Serial No. 132,193

This invention relates to winding and reeling. 'machines and it has particular reference to a machine and method for forming bows, rosettes and pompons from ribbon,

- The principal object of the invention is to accomplish automatically the construction of multipoint bows, pompons and the like from ribbon, which have been hitherto formed by hand as aesthetic additions to the ribbon binding of gift packages, but not necessarily limited to such use.

It has long been the custom of department stores and other merchandising establishments to offer as an added service, the wrapping of purchases which requires the special training of persons of artistic talents. Such schooling is costly and time consuming and even the most skilled among the trained wrappers find it difiicult to meet the demand for gift wrapped packages during the rush periods of special seasons. Hence the invention anticipates the need of merchants for a medium by which the decorative complement may be automatically produced, in the form of a multi-point bow, rosette or pompon, and these with a high degree of uniformity at a speed much greater than they can be formed manually.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine consisting of a turntable about the perimeter of which is a series of circumferentially spaced pegs mounted on radial axes and, by virtue of a driving means and cam below the turntable, T the latter is actuated to collectively rotate the pegs, during which the latter are selectively moved from a vertical to a substantially horizontal position for a predetermined number of revolutions. A ribbon drawn from a reel, overlying and fastened at one end to the turntable, is'engaged by a lone vertical peg which gradually assumes a horizontal position in the direction of rotation, whereupon an opposite second peg is brought suddenly to vertical and ribbon engaging position to also gradually return to near horizontal position. This action is repeated by pairs of opposed pegs successively until the turntable has completed a predetermined number of revolutions, whereupon the pegs are collectively moved to vertical position to enable the bow or pompon, as the case may be, to be tied and released from the pegs in completed form. 7

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing fiat bows and pompons from tape, embodying the steps of holding an end of the tape in relation to a rotating field; in forming bights or loops in the tape and reeling the latter in intercrossing leads diametrically of said field while rotating the field; in interrupting 10 Claims. (Cl. 22346) proceeds, takentogether with the rotation of the field; in severing the tape at the perimeter of said field; tying the'leadsof th tape at their point of intersection and finally in removing the completed article from the field.

Other objects will appear as the description accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the invention showing attachments for producing pompons'.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the turntable supporting deck. 7

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the complete machine.

Figure 3A is a perspective view of the peg actuating cam per se. 7

Figure 3B is a detail view of a key used to effect radial adjustment of the pegs.

Figure 4 is atop plan view of the turntable per se, partly broken away.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View in vertical section, taken on line 55 of Figure 6 and showing the peg actuating cam, peg releasing cam ring andcertain of the driving elements of the actuating cam and turntable.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a view in fragmentary section showing a peg shaft, roller, crank and torsion spring for holding the roller in engagement with the actuating cam.

Figure 8 is a sectional view, taken on line 8--8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail view of one of the pegs,

' plete machine adapted for forming rosettes or bows.

Figure 1'7 is a view similar to Figure 14, showing the cycle limiting arrangement adapted for bows and rosettes, and

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram exemplifying the pattern formed by the ribbon as it is caught up by the pegs during rotation of the turntable.

Continuing with a more detailed description or the drawing, reference is primarilymade to Figure lwherein numeral I denotes a housing of any suitabledesign having preferably a top or deck ll, hinged along its longitudinal rear. edge. Suspended from the underside of the deck H b means of brackets I2 (Fig. 3) is a mounting plate l3 which is adapted to support the driving motor [4 and inthis plate also is installed a'series of bearings or bushings for the main and counter shafts transmitting driving torque to the turntable and peg actuating cam, which elements wur be later identified and described indetail;

By referring to Figures 2 and 3, a worm "I5 is shown as being mounted on the armature shaft of the motor [5 which engages anddrives a worm gear I3, mounted on the main shaft H, the lower end of the latter being journaled-in aibushing IS in a bearing plate l9, whose ends are suspended by stubs 26, depending from the mounting plate I3. The turntable 2i 'has a slightly convex top 'and is provided with 'an annular flange '22 which embraces the upper portion of a peg'actuating cam ring 23. A boss 2% (Fig; 3) is formed on the undersurface of the-turntablejl and is axially *bor'e'd' to receive the reduced upper end of the .main shaft I? and to which it is keyed by'a trans- 7 "Verse pin'25. The upper extremity of the shaft is-threaded to-receive a nut 26 which secures the turntable a'gainst upward-displacement.

' At points spaced circumferentially about the flangeZZ of 'the turntable-are apertures 27 Fig.

'7), in each of which is disposed a-'flanged bearing- 28. The bushi'ng'is cutaway at -29 to accommodate a roller 30 which latter is rotatably joined to a roller crank 3| by means-of a-pin 32.

Extending through the bearing 28 and the sleeve 3'3 of the roller crank 3| is a'rod or shaft 34. This shaft is threaded on 'itsinner end and o'ntinues through an annular boss a (Fig. 7), '-'formed on and depending from the unde'rsurface of the turntable, and to' the outer end'of the shaft is afiixed, as by 'the screw 35 (Figs. 9- to 13) a peg 36. This peg is formed-preferably of plastic material, asshown, primarily-for the reason that this material will insure -a-'smooth surface not likely" to impose friction on the ribbon or tape engaged thereby or'become tarnished and therefore s'oil -the ribbon. The pegs are each half a round and of diminishing cross-section towards their tips or free ends, which-latter are rounded to insure against fouling the ribbon when it is "released from the pegs in 'the manner to be explained in the course of the description of operation-to follow presently.

Each of the 'p'eg'shafts' 'iifi'has a longitudinal keyway 37 (Fig. 7) in "which reposes a key 38 which holds the 's'leeve 33 of the-roller crank 3| operatively in relation to the shaft. A torsion spring 39 embraces the roller crank sleeve 33 and imposes a downward thrust on the roller 30, holding'the same against the face '40 of the cam ring 23 (Fig. 3A).

As will be explained in detail later, the cam ring 23 revolves in the same direction as but at a slower speed 'than' the turnt'able '21 andpas may be seen in Figure 3A, the eam ring is' p'rovided with opposed recesses 4|,

each having an abrupt drop a and a gradual "ris'e 'b. The'rollers 30' are adapted to fall suc- '-"-'cessively i'nto'these recesses as the'turntable'and cam ring revolve thus to abruptly raise the pegs "-35 to vertical'positionin proper sequence of operation. As the'cam ring and turntable continue to revolve, the rollers 38 travel up the inclined sides ofthe recesses 41 to slowly emerge thus to provide adjustment in the radius of the circle described by the collective pegs 36, which determines the diameter of the bow or pompon produced. This adjustment is accomplished in a manner to become more apparent as the description proceeds.

,5 Thev bevel ring gear 53 is not secured to the main shaft I? but, as revealed in Figure 3, an 'axialboss thereon is press-fitted into the hub of a gear 44, below which is a collar ii-affixed to themain shaft ll. .A pinion te is secured by means-of a set screw i! .to the lower end of a shaft 48', operating in a bore made vertically in the annular boss 3aand this pinion meshes with the teeth of gear 44. It is evident from the 'foregoingthat by rotating the shaft'48, gear '43 "will be rotated by pinion T45; causing rotation of bevel gear 42"wh'ich, in turn, effectslongitudinal vdisplacementof the peg shaft 34,. by virtue of the threaded relationship between the gear 42 and said shafti l.

To rotate shaft 48, a knob 38a (Fig. 313), provided .with a slotted sleeve 48b, is applied to the cross-pin 5480 (Fig. '3), which is exposed in'a recess in the top of the turntable 2|. In order to prevent overextension of the pegshafts 34, the gear 44 is provided with a stop pin S-(Fig. 3) which comes I up against the pinion 46 and precludes further rotation thereof.

In order to understand the behavior of the pegs 36 in the'fnanner described, it must first be-understood that the-cam ring 23 makes one- -half the number of revolutions as there :are pegs on the turntable 2! in "forming a bow, or the same number of revolutions as there are pegs in forming arpompon. 'For example, in forming an eleven point bow the camring makes five and one-half revolutions while the turntable makes 6 complete revolutions before it is automatically stopped, in the manner to be =later explained.

To obtain the describedspeed ratio differential "between the turntable and 'cam ring 23, a countershaft-1'49- (Fig. 5)" is journaled in a bushing 50 in the'mounting plate l3 and carries on its lower eendapinionfSl which is secured to the shaft bya set screw 52. This pinion meshes with a like pinion '53; 'se'curedto the main drive shaft ll, above 'the' wor'm gear I 6. Above the bearing of shaft '49Qa'boss' 54 is formed thereon and a bushing 55 is pressed on theshaftabovethe'boss 54. A gear 56 is mounted on the bushing'55 and engages a similar gear 57, mounted on the de- 5 pending sleeve '58 which is integral with and forms the "driving hub of the cam ring 23. A centering pin 59 is affixed in a cam ring supporting" member "60 'anddepends into anaxial bore G'I' in'- the upper end of the counter shaft 49. The difference in the number of teeth in the "described gears determines the relative speed thereof and the ratio is calculated to predetermine the difference in speed between the cam "ring and turntable, as above set forth.

*The ringsupportiifi is mounted for'vertical reciprocation as a means for raising. and

lowering the cam ring 23. The pegs 36, being tion Raising and lowering of the cam ringlsupport of the machine, as exemplified in Figures 1 and r 16. The handle 62 is attached toa rod 63 which extends inwardly and is secured to a'support actuator 64 (Figs. 3 and 6) below the cam release member 6!]. The actuator 64 has an arcuate opening 65 as a clearanc 'for thecountershaft 49, as may be seen in Figure 5 and on the flange B6 of the actuator are circumferentially spaced rollers 51, on which rests the lower edge of the flange 63 of the cam support 66. The lower edge of the flange 68 is formed with three equidistant- 1y spaced recesses 69 and, as the actuator 64 is moved by operating the handle 62, the recesses 69 will be moved into a position where the rollers 61 will fall thereinto, thereby lowering the support 60 and with it the cam ring 23. As the cam ring 23 recedes, it moves out of engagement with the rollers of the pegs 35, whereupon the springs 39 (Fig. 7 function to turn the peg shafts 6 of rotation, and after approximately 300 of rotation, peg I will have reached a position nearly horizontal. to a vertical position just before it reaches a point where it must engage the ribbon and'carries the next loop around, at the same time inclining gradually as did the preceding peg, until it too assumes. a horizontal position. This per- 34, causing the pegs to move collectivel to vertical or upright position, which position is assumed by the pegs when a complete bow or pompon is to be tiedand removed, in the manner to be presently explained. It is to be understood that in forming a flat bow, the ribbon is fed onto the turntable in such manner that it will lie flat in intercrossing relationship on the turntable while the pompon requires that the leads of the ribbon lie more or less at right angles to the plane of the turntable and are thus supported by a center pin P (Figs. 1 and 3). In any case, the pegs 36, as they come into successive engagement with the ribbon, impose a 180 twist therein as the turntable revolves.

A typical multipoint flat bow forming opera isrevealed schematically in Figure 18, although for the sake of clarity, only nine pegs are shown instead of eleven as in the other figures of the drawing. These pegs are numbered from 1 to 9 for identification in sequence of their erformance.

A spool M (Fig. 1) is mounted on a spindle H and is supported on a disc 12 whose top surface is roughened to provide suflicient friction to prevent spinning of the spool on the spindle and to maintain tension on the ribbon 1.3 which is passed between the pair of guide pins 14 disposed vertically on the deck ll between the spindle H and turntable 2|. First, a tie 16 (Fig. 3) is placed diametrically across the face of the turntable and fastened by similar points T! on the periphery of the turntable, the tie serving as a medium for securing the loops of the bow, when finished, at their intersections. The ribbon 13 is then passed across the face of the turntable in advance of the lone upstanding peg, designated by the numeral l in Figure 18 and the end of the ribbon the turntable.

is pierced by a point 15, affixed to the periphery the peg gradually inclines towards the direction 'formance is repeated by the remaining pegs until after four and one-half revolutions when peg 9 has formed its loop and has also moved to a near horizontal position. At the end of thefifth or last revolution, peg I again snaps to a vertical position and the machine automatically stops.

To secure the loops of ribbon after forming the flat bow, the ends of the tie 16 are released from the points 11 and are brought together and se curely tied in the center of the bow. Then the operating handle 62 is moved to the right, as viewed in Figures 1 and 16, whereupon the actuator 64 will lower the cam support 68 and cam rin 23, permitting all of the pegs 36 to move to upright position to enable the loops of the bow to be removed from the pegs. The ribbonis cut from the spool adjacent the bow as indicated in Figure 1. The finished bow is then'read to be attached to the binding ribbon of a package by means of the free ends of the tying string 16.

The operation for forming a pompon is the same as above described except that the turntable makes twice the number of revolutions as in the forming of a multipoint flat bow, in order that two loops instead of one are formed on each peg 36. Moreover the center pin P-is inserted in a bore in the upper end of the main drive shaft H, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, to extend above the turntable and functions to insure uniform distribution of the leads of the tape across This pin is employed only in forming pompons as earlier described. When the pompon has been formed, the ends of the tie '15 are released from the points Ti and are tied loose- I 1y across the center of the pompon, after which the handle 63 is actuated to raise the pegs 36 to vertical position to release the pompon. The ends of the tie 16 are then pulled upward through a, ring 19 (Fig. 1) centrally disposed above the turntable and supported by the horizontal arm 8!) of a stand 81 which latter, in turn, is sup ported by a boss 82, affixed to the deck ii. As

the ends of the tie 16 are pulled into the ring pon. Figure 15 may be examined together withv Figure 14 which shows a limit gear 83, the upper face of which carries diametrically opposed, long and short switch trip pins 84 and 85, respectively.

- The gear 83 turns on a stub shaft 86 whose upper end is rigidly secured in a boss in the mounting plate l3 and, as revealed in Figure 3, depends below the plate 13 in parallelism with the main shaft I1. Intermediate the shaft 86 and main shaft I! is another stub shaft 81, on the lower end of which is mounted a pinion 88 which meshes with and drives the limit gear 83. The shaft 8?, in turn, is driven from the main shaft If, by means of the gear 53, shown and previous- 1y described as mounted on the main shaft l1 Peg 2, which is opposite peg I, snaps during operative periodsiof the turntable, the

limit wheel or gear Sit-is driven fromthe main shaft '5'! through the gears '53,- 89 and 88. V

The gear 83 is called the limit gear because.

it' determines the number of revolutions of the turntable 2i and consequently, the number of loops placed on the ribbon. In formingra bow having the samenumberiof loops as there are pegs 36, a selector switch'tifi- (Figs. .1, l5 and 16) is movedto the position designated 13 in Figures 1 and 15. The starting switch 78 is pressed to energize the circuit to the motor "I l whereupon the limit gear '83 will revolve until the long pin 64 thereon moves into engagement with the trip roller 9| of a limit switch '92 (Figs. 14, 15 and 17). The schematic diagram shows the condition of the circuit when the machine is at rest with the long trip pin 84 holding the bow limit switch in its open position. The short trip pin misses the pompon limit switch roller hence its contact re mains closed,

When the machine is set to make a flat bow, both switches 92 (Figs. 14, 15 and 17) are energized, hence both the long and the short pins 85 and 85, respectively, are effective to start and.

stop the machine. However, when the selector switch 90 is turned to P. position to form a pompon, a momentary circuit is completed through the normally open contact 93 (Fig. 15) of the bow limit switch, causing the machine to run until the pompon limit switch is opened by engagement of the long trip pin 84 with the switch roller 9|. This automatically sets the machine for making a pompon in case the previous bow cycle was completed by means of the bow limit switch being tripped by the long pin. Figure 14 reveals the relationship of the pins Bill-and 85 with the contact 9! of switches 92 in forming simple bows while Figure 17 shows such relationship in forming pompons.

In the event of fouling of the ribbon during 'th reeling thereof on the pegs 36 or for any other purpose, provision is made for stopping the machine at any time through the medium of a push button 94, adjacent the starting button 18, which deenergizes the starting relays 95.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is: j,

l. A machine for forming bows and pompons from tape, including a turntable having an annular flange, a plurality of radially disposed and longitudinally adjustable shafts rotatably journaled intermediate their ends in the flange-of said turntable, a cam ring embraced by the flange means for holding an end of said tape across'said turntable, and means for rotating said turntable and cam ring at differential speeds to effect,

.throughthe cooperation of said rollers and cam recesses, sudden upward and gradual downward dip- .cement of sell; of pegs successively on alternate'sides' of said turntable to engage-the tape .on saidzpegsand dispose the'same in intercrossing leads on the center of 'saidturntable.

v2. A machine for producing bows and pompons from tape, including a turntable; a cam ring under said turntable having recesses in its operativeface, a radial series of'long'itudinally adjustable shafts carriedby said turntable, each having a pegon its outer end at rightangles thereto, means-forrotating said turntable and camat differential speeds, a tape reel support adjacent said turntable, means for holding the end of a length of tape across said turntable and means carried by each of saidshafts-and operated by said cam ring to actuate said shafts and cause said pegs to successively snap to upright position and gradually assume a horizontal position, whereby to engage and form' loops in said tape whose leads intersect atthe center of said turntable. t

3. In a machine for producing bows and pompons from tape, a turntable, a tape reel adjacent said turntable, means for securing an end of the 1 greater than that of said camring, means carried by'each of said shafts and 'engageable by said cam ring to effect sudden movement of said pegs successively to vertical position and gradual movement thereof to horizontal position whereby to reel tape on said pegs with leads intercrossing v at the center of said turntable.

i. In a machine for producing bows and pompons from tape, a circumferentially spaced group of pegs adapted for collective rotation and capa-. ble of successive displacement suddenly from the horizontal to the -vertical plane, followed by a gradual return to the horizontal plane, a tape reel, means for holding an end ofthe tape from said reel for successive engagement by said pegs to form thereon loops and intercrossing leads intersecting at the rotative axis of said group of pegs, means for rotating said group of pegs and means to effect individual actuation thereof.

5. In a machine for forming multi-point bows and pompons from tape and the like, comprising a turntable means for rotating said turntable, a group of pegs spaced circumferentially about the perimeter of said turntable and capable of successive displacement suddenly from a parallel to a perpendicular position in relation to the plane of said turntable and of gradually resuming parallelism therewith during rotation of said turntable, means for supplying tape with which said pegs successively engage in the perpendicular position to form therein loops and leads intersecting at the center of said turntable, means for predetermining the number of revolutionsof said turntable, means for tying said leads at their intersection and means for collectively moving said pegs to perpendicular position with respect to said turntable to remove the completed article therefrom.

6. In a machine for producing bows and pompons from tape, comprising a turntable, means for fastening tape from a reel diametrically across said turntable, a series of pegs circumferentially spaced about the perimeter of said turntable on individual shafts disposed radially with respec to said turntable, means for rotating said turntable, cam means rotated at a differential speedwith respect to'said turntable and adapted to actuate said peg shafts to cause said pegs to rise successively into engagement with said tape and to incline downwardly in the direction of rotation of said turntable and form said tape into loops with leads intercrossing at the center of said turntable, means for tying said tape at the intersection of said leads and means for collectively moving said pegs into upright position to release the loops from said pegs.

7. A machine for producing bows and pompons from ribbon including a turntable, a series of pegs spaced circumferentially about the perimeter of said turntable and displaceable arcuately between vertical and horizontal planes, means for feeding ribbon continuously between said pegs as said turntable revolves, to be intermittently engaged by selected pegs of said series, means for suddenly raising and gradually lowering opposite pegs of said series successively to impose a 180 twist in the leads of said ribbon as said leads intercross at the center of said turntable, means forstopping said turntable after a predetermined number of revolutions and means for collectively moving said pegs to a vertical position subsequent to the operation of tying the leads of said ribbon at their intersection.

8. The structure of claim 7, and means spaced above the center of said turntable through which the leads of the ribbon are partially drawn at the point of intersection to converge the bights of the completed article into a cluster.

9. The process of producing bows and pompons from ribbon which comprises feeding the ribbon across a rotating field While intercepting and forming loops in the ribbon at circumferentially spaced points about the perimeter of the field, intercrossing the leads of the ribbon at the center of the field; imposing a twist in the leads of the ribbon between the loops thereof; tying the leads at their point of intersection and finally severing the ribbon at the perimeter of the field.

10. The process of producing bows and pompons from tape which comprises holding an end of the tape in relation to the perimeter of a rotating field, in forming bights or loops in the tape and reeling the latter in intercrossing leads substantially diametrically of the field while rotating the field, imposing a twist of substantially in the leads of the tape between the bights or loops; interrupting rotation of the field after a predetermined number Of revolutions, ty-

ing the leads together at their point of intersection; severing the tape at the perimeter of the field and finally removing the completed article from the field.

HAROLD M. COOK.

No references cited. 

